Racing in Konoha
by SilentSwordsman
Summary: A story about street racing with the naruto characters. right now the pairing is open because i don't know who i want to be with whom yet.
1. Chapter 1

**Racing in Konoha**

**Disclaimer: y'all know 'em but i figure that i should write them in case. i don't own naruto (clearly) and i don't own the car companies of the cars mentioned in the story. i also do not own the rights to the songs used in the story as well (another big duh). this is the only time the disclaimer will appear in the story. **

**Author's note: there will be original characters of my own that i will insert in the story****.**

Chapter One: The Beginning of Things

As she stood in line in the school cafeteria, Hinata Hyuga sighed with disdain at the thought of having to eat Konoha High's most famous slop that they had to offer every day. More important than school food, however, was the fact that the group was planning on going out that evening to participate in the "illegal" activities. Street racing had become real popular in Konoha amongst the teenagers and young adults, all of them doing it for one reason or another. Hinata's reasoning for rebelling against what she thought was right was because Naruto was into it. She had tried everything she could to catch Naruto's eye but nothing seemed to work until Hinata had a car and he had seen her drifting it in the school parking lot one evening. Driving just came naturally to her and Naruto gave her attention when she raced.

Reaching the table where the rest of the group, which included Naruto, of course, Sasuke, Sakura, Ten Ten, Neji, Shikamaru, Lee, Ino, Choji, Kiba, and Shino, Hinata set her tray down and sat down with a sigh.

"Yeah, you said it," said Sakura as she picked at her food, "this stuff looks like it belongs in a trough!"

"It can't be that bad," Hinata said as she took a bite out of the food. As always, the cafeteria food tasted better than it looked but not by much.

"Hinata, you never complain about anything," Ino said, "so of course you'd say that."

"Guys!" Naruto said enerjetically as he wiped off his face, which clearly showed that he had no problem with the food, "we've got more important things to worry about than the lousy cafeteria food."

Sasuke dropped his fork beside his hardly touched food, "Naruto's right for once. Tonight we've got to make a show at the alley or else all the other syndicates will think that we've gotten soft after our last defeat."

"Hey, i said i was sorry guys," Kiba said as people looked in his direction, "i don't know what was up with my car but i swear that was the first time that the brakes went out on it like that."

"You're lucky that it was only your brakes that went out and that they went out on a straight stretch of the most treacherous course that we've created in all of konoha," Shikamaru said lazily.

"Not to mention that the police were slow and we had enough time to get the car inside a friendly syndicate's safe house so you wouldn't lose the car," Neji added.

"Guys!" Naruto piped up again, "this fighting is not helping. we just need to forget about it and move on. we only lost a little money in the race so its not that big of a deal."

"I know, i just felt bad about it is all," Kiba said, "so are we meeting at the warehouse before we go to the alley then?"

Everyone looked at Sasuke and Naruto to see what their decision would be. it was pretty much unspoken by the group that Naruto and Sasuke were the leaders of the syndicate just because everyone else wanted to race and they didn't want to do it alone. Sasuke gave Naruto the 'i don't care look' and Naruto said, "Yep! So be there at just before dusk and we're going to check everyone's cars to make sure that nothing is amiss this time."

As the rest of the group talked amongst themselves about modifications that they'd made to their cars or how much money they were hoping to earn that night, Hinata looked at Naruto with admiration. Regrettably, her admiration and infatuation with him had become less than that of when she was a pre-teen. Naruto was still head-over-heels for Sakura, who was still severely infatuated with Sasuke and completely ignoring Naruto except for when she needed something. Due to this triangle, Hinata came to see that Naruto was uninterested in her and as of late she was starting to notice that Shikamaru had gotten a little cuter in the passing years. But he was just uninterested in girls, even though he secretly had a crush on someone but would not divulge that delectable information. Not even Ino, one of his best friends, could get it out of him. Choji was bribed with barbeque once by Ino and Ten Ten, and he made a valient effort, but even he couldn't get the info from Shikamaru. Sadly, Ino and Ten Ten owed Choji barbeque without any information.

...

"Come on," Naruto said as he paced between the open warehouse doors, "the sun is almost down and she's still not here yet."

"Give it a rest, Naruto," Sakura said with irritation, "you said just before sundown. she's got a couple of minutes before it's sundown. jeez."

"Fine," Naruto said with a scowl on his face. He looked around at the cars and said, "I suppose we can start looking at the cars to see if they are fine."

"Wow," Sasuke said with amazement, "you actually came up with a good idea."

"It's been known to happen from time to time," Shikamaru said with bored amazement, "but those times are few and far between."

"Thank's, guys, appreciate it," Naruto said as he went over to Sasuke's blue Chevrolet Cobalt SS.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sakura asked viciously as Naruto stepped in front of the car.

"Checking the cars," Naruto replied as if it was obvious to everyone but her, "last i checked, just because Sasuke is a crew leader doesn't mean he is exempt from car checks."

"What about your car?" Ino asked as she shot a glare at Sakura, who was dressed and acting very whorishly around Sasuke.

"It will be checked as well," Naruto replied, "Sasuke, if you'll go do that and then work your way around to Neji's and Shikamaru's cars."

"Right," Sasuke replied as he made his way to Naruto's bright orange Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, which had a darker orange fox vinyl on both of his doors.

Naruto and Sasuke made their way around the group. Naruto checked Kiba's silver Mazda RX-8 and Lee's green Lotus Elise while Sasuke checked Neji's dark purple Subaru Impreza WRX STI and Shikamaru's black Lexus IS300. Lastly, they both checked over Shino's grey Mitsubishi 3000GT.

"Well, that's everyone," Sasuke said.

"Where's Hinata?" Naruto asked, "its always her, she's always the last one and she's always late."

As soon as Naruto posed his question, the roar of an engine sounded in the distance. Soon after the noise was heard, a midnight blue 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse powerslid through the open warehouse doors and came to a stop not five feet from Naruto.

As the door to the car opened, Naruto said, "well it's about time, Hinata. Where've you been?"

Hinata timidly stepped out of her car and replied quietly, "my dad was being difficult to get away from."

Naruto's face suddenly turned red from the embarrassment he felt for his impatience. Sasuke smirked at Naruto's discomfort and said, "well, pop the hood Hinata. we've gotta inspect your car before we go."

"Okay," Hinata replied as she leaned into her car and pulled the handle that released the lock on the hood. Sasuke opened the hood and began the inspection.

A few minutes passed in awkward silence as Naruto trudged to his car to stand there in silence while Hinata fussed over the NOS tanks in the trunk even though there was nothing wrong with them. Finally, Sasuke declared the car to be in perfect working order and the group came to the clearing in the middle of their cars.

"So," Sasuke said, "tonight we must perform well or else our reputation will fall substantially. Everyone's cars are in perfect working order so there should be no excuse for bad performance tonight."

"So good luck to us all tonight," Naruto said, "let's go."

...

The roar of engines filled the alley as Naruto and everyone else arrived and parked their cars in the spots they normally occupied. Everyone got out of their cars and mingled amongst the other racers that came to their once a month racing event. Seeing as how it was in Konoha, Naruto and his crew were the hosts of the event and everyone had been waiting for them to show up. Hinata timidly made her way through the crowd, being especially careful to not bump into people and failing miserably.

"Naruto," Sasuke said as they made their way to the head of the alley, "get their attention so we can get this show on the road."

"Hey, everyone!" Naruto shouted over the crowd, "everyone! if you would quiet down so we can start the event, that would be much appreciated."

With much reluctance, the noise slowly quieted and all eyes were on Naruto and Sasuke. Sasuke then spoke, saying, "Welcome to Konoha, we hope that tonight will be a night of memorable racing for everyone. without further delay, let the event begin."

The crowd gave a small cheer and went about checking out cars and staking out possible opponents to challenge. Hinata looked at some of the cars there and knew that she could beat most of these people hands down but she was far too nice to challenge anyone outright. She noticed someone standing next to her car and decided to go over to investigate. As she made her way over, the roar of cars filled the alley again. everyone looked towards the source of the sound to see who was the owner of the late-coming vehicles.

As the crowd parted to let the late-comers through, Hinata saw at the head of the four vehicles a black Chevrolet Corvette C6 with red flame decals that blazed down the side panels beginning behind the wheels, which had rims that the sharingan eye painted on them. Behind the Corvette was a navy blue Saleen Mustang with dark red tinted windows and rims. Following the Mustang was a metallic gold Porsche Carrera GT with dark black windows and rims. The final car was a black Lamborghini Murcialago with same color rims and windows.

'Oh no,' Hinata thought to herself, 'this could be bad for us.'

"Crap," Naruto said as members from the Akatsuki Racing Syndicate stepped out of the cars.

Sasuke tensed up at the sight of his brother Itachi, saying, "that's it, i wanna take him. I don't care, this time he's done."

"Sasuke," Naruto piped up, "don't be rash. We're trying to salvage our reputation from the last event. So just think before you do something."

"Yeah," Sasuke replied, "i know."

Initially, the Akatsuki members just mingled with the crowd after they parked their cars and caused no trouble. It seemed that they were just there to participate in the event and make sure that their presence wasn't forgotten, so Naruto thought nothing of it. Gaara came up to Naruto with a grim look on his face, which Naruto didn't think too much of either because that was how he normally looked on any given day.

"Hey Naruto," Gaara said, "you looking for a challenge?"

"Not particularly at the moment," Naruto replied, "why?"

"Because the Akatsuki is looking to make a challenge on your syndicate," Gaara said, "just so you are aware."

Naruto didn't look surprised at this new info. In fact, he almost expected it but he had been wishing that things would be different this time. He looked at Gaara, thanked him for the info, and went over to Sasuke, saying, "So you still wanting to challenge Itachi?"

"Always," Sasuke said, "who do you want me to take as a wingman?"

"Hinata," Naruto said, "she hasn't raced in a while and so it'd be good for her to get back in the saddle."

"Really?" Sasuke said with raised eyebrows, "I don't know, this is a pretty high caliber race and it'd be bad for her self-esteem if we lost tonight."

"Since when did you care about Hinata's self-esteem before?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke paused for a moment, then said, "You're right, what i'm really saying is that i need a better wingman."

"She's plenty good," Naruto said, "she's spent a lot of time at the parking garage doing drifts, on the drag strip, and in other racing events. Hinata had to have gained some sort of skill from all that."

"Well okay but i still think it's a bad idea," Sasuke said.

"Duly noted, now get going," Naruto said as Sasuke stalked off to talk to Itachi. Shaking his head, Naruto wondered how someone like Sasuke could have such a bad opinion of one of the syndicate members but then reminded himself that Sasuke got a little irrational whenever Itachi came around. Naruto sighed and walked back to his car to see what the person that was next to it was doing.


	2. Chapter 2

Racing in Konoha

Disclaimer: see ch. 1

Chapter Two: The Race

Hinata pulled up next to Sasuke at the chalk line that Ino and Sakura dropped down on the road. Soon afterwards Itachi pulled up in his Corvette C6 followed by his racing partner, Kisame, in his Mustang. Sakura walked up to Hinata and collected the money for the race buy-in. As Hinata handed her the money, she thought back to how she got wrangled into this race.

(Flashback)

"Hinata," Sasuke said as he came out of the crowd.

"Yes, Sasuke?" Hinata inquired.

"We're in a race with Itachi and his racing partner, Naruto suggested that i take you as my wingman," Sasuke said.

Hinata's heart raced at the mention of Naruto's name and she stuttered, "H-he did?"

"Yes, get ready because we're in for one heck of a race. These guys don't mess around," Sasuke said as he walked off.

(End Flashback)

Everyone who showed up at the alley came out to the Konoha Seventeen Miler, the most famous racing course that was on the outskirts of Konoha. The course ran the full length of Konoha's perimeter, with several dips in and out of the city. It was a challenging course that tested all aspects of driver talent and even the best of drivers struggled with this course. Hinata was told that Naruto plotted out it's course for that specific reason.

Hinata checked over her gauges and found that everything seemed to be normal. She flipped up the passenger seat and twisted the nob on the line coming from her NOS tank in the trunk so that it would allow the potent gas to flow freely into the engine when she called for it. The psi gauge next to the turbocharger gauge by the windshield read two hundred, which was where it was when she last filled it. Satisfied, Hinata flipped the seat back down and revved the engine once to vent some of her nervousness.

Sasuke's voice came through the speakers in her car, saying, "Hinata, your headset working?"

Flipping the switch to connect her blue-tooth headset to the car's cb system that worked through the radio, Hinata responded, "yes, it is."

"Good, just remember to watch out for these guys because they drive ruthlessly."

"Got it."

Sakura walked out in front of the racers with a pair of hankerchiefs raised out from her sides. Hinata revved her engine again, along with everyone else on the line, as they waited for the hankerchiefs to drop. A few seconds passed, then Sakura let go of the hankerchiefs and everyone took off from the line.

Sasuke had a perfect start and pulled away from the pack effortlessly. Hinata shadowed him by a couple of car-lengths so as to prevent Itachi and Kisame from sneaking up on them. The first quarter mile was a straightaway that went by without incident before they came to the sharp left turn. Slowing down for the turn, Sasuke dashed across the bridge and then took a quick right and continued off on the course.

Hinata, however, was spun out on the side of the road before the bridge with a stalled engine. Trying to start the car again, he said into the headset, "Sasuke look out, they're coming."

"What happened?" Sasuke asked.

"Pit manuever and now my car is stalled," Hinata said as the car came back to life, "nevermind, i'm coming just hold on until i can get back."

"okay, just hurry Hinata," Sasuke replied.

Hinata mashed the gas pedal down and the car roared across the bridge. Taking the right turn that would begin the long loop around half the city, Hinata pressed the button on her steering wheel that allowed the NOS to flow into the engine. The spike in rpms and the jolt that resulted in the incresed engine performance allowed the car to accelerate faster than ever, causing Hinata to need to shift faster so as to not destroy her transmission and engine. when she saw the group not far ahead, Hinata released the NOS button and the car returned to it's normal performance level.

Itachi looked in his mirror and noticed the midnight blue Eclipse fly past him and Kisame. Itachi said, "it seems the Hyuga girl knows how to race."

"No kidding," Kisame's voice came through the speakers, "it's been a while since we've had a challenge like this."

"Well, its not like we don't have any tricks of our own left," Itachi said smoothly, "we'll just lurk in the background for now."

"Right," Kisame replied.

"Okay, I'm back," Hinata said as she flew past Sasuke's car as well.

"I noticed," Sasuke said, his doubts of her racing abilities having flown out the window, "I'll let you have the lead for now and keep these guys occupied back here."

"Alright," Hinata said as began to slow the car down for the coming right turn. At the last second, Hinata turned the wheel and yanked on her e-brake, which jerked the car into a slide. Releasing the e-brake, Hinata furiously turned the wheel to the left to keep the car from spinning out, downshifted, and feathered the gas pedal to keep the car moving. Straightening out the wheel, Hinata mashed on the gas once more and shifted as she raced across the second bridge and down the second straightaway of the course.

The others made it around the corner just as fast as Hinata did and kept good pace with her. Sasuke was trying his best to fill the road but was soon taken out by a double team pit manuever, which constituted Itachi lining up his left rear quarter panel with Sasuke's right front quarter panel, Kisame taking up a position diagonally opposite from Itachi, and the both of them turning their cars towards the other. Sasuke's car slid off the course and his engine stalled out.

"Hinata, look out," came Sasuke's voice through the speakers as she drifted around another right hand turn that brought her on the second to last straightaway. Looking up in her mirror, she saw the Akatsuki cars coming up fast and punched on the NOS so as to keep the same pace with them.

"Boy, she's got some fight in her, eh Itachi," Kisame said.

"Indeed Kisame, but it seems her luck is about to run out," Itachi replied, "still, i do respect the way she provided a challenge for us today. We can let her off easy."

"What? Are you serious? You aren't getting soft on me, eh Itachi?"

As the three approached the final turn, Itachi closed the distance on Hinata, lined up his right front quarter panel with her left rear quarter panel, and jerked the wheel hard to the right. As Hinata's car spun to the side, the momentum carried the car into a barrel roll as Itachi yanked on the e-brake and drifted effortlessly around the sharp 165 degree turn before racing off to the finsih line.

"And that was letting her off easy?" came Kisame's voice through the speakers as they crossed the finish line.

Meanwhile, Sasori walked up to Naruto, saying, "well i believe that the 20,000 ryo prize is ours. so hand it over."

With a disgruntled look, Naruto handed him the cash, saying, "Don't you think you could show a little respect to your opponents?"

"Foolish boy, the Akatsuki racing syndicate answers to no one's rules," answered the blonde haired Deidara, "we drive extreme and race hardcore. that's all there is too it, un.."

Naruto watched in disgust as they walked away, then turned his attention to Hinata's car that had stopped rolling just short of the huge dropoff that lead to a deep ravine.

Hinata was breathing heavily and could feel something warm flowing from her chin towards her forehead. opening her eyes, she noticed that the car had ended up its roof and that, for the most part, she was okay. undoing her seatbelt, hinata collided with the roof and she took a gasp in slight pain. Crawling out of the wreckage, she surveyed her car and realized that it was beyond any sort of repair, which didn't surprise her as the car had rolled five times before stopping.

Back at the finish line, Shikamaru was picking up police call signs and said, "hey, we need to get out of here before the cops show up."

The mere mention of the police caused everyone to panic, jump in their cars, and speed off. the Konoha racers had all jumped in their cars as well and sped off minus Naruto, who was staring in Hinata's direction as she slowly walked towards them. Sakura was frantically calling out to Naruto to get in the car and go, which caused Naruto to panic at the reminder of the cops coming, jump in his car, and leave.

Hinata watched her friends take off and fell to her knees, partially because she was out of energy but mostly because she was shocked that her friends, of all people, would do something like that to her. She was almost unable to register that another car had pulled up with an open door and the person inside was yelling at her to get inside. Normally she wouldn't have accepted a ride from a complete stranger but with the given situation, Hinata wanted to get out of there. Getting inside the black Corvette C6, Hinata shut the door frantically and the car sped off just as the red and blue lights started to appear on the city outskirts.

Hinata timidly said, "thank you for saving me."

"I wouldn't think too much of it, i only saved you out of respect for your skills," replied the man.

Hinata glanced over at the man only to realize in whose car she was sitting in. Fear came over her as the car sped down the road away from konoha and Hinata began to wonder if she would ever make it home alive. Hinata looked down and stayed quiet for the rest of the trip as she wondered where he was taking her when a change in speed and direction caused her to look up and notice that they were headed down a long driveway in the middle of the forest that surrounded the town a few miles out.

After a few minutes, a building complex came into view and the car stopped in front of what seemed to be a rather large house. Then he spoke, saying, "you'll be staying here for the night. now get out."


End file.
